Improvement in tamping-caps for tool-handles



J. P. MILLIGAN. Tamping-Cap for Tool-Handle.

No. 206,814. Patented Aug. 6, 1878.

N-PETERS. PHOTO L TNOGRAFH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. MILLIGAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO EZRA H. LINLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TAMPlNG-CAPS FOR TOOL-HANDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,814, dated August6, 1878; application filed March 27, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MILLIGAN, of the city of St. Louis, andState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inTamping- Caps for Shovel-Handles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

This improvement relates to shovels intended specially for use bytrack-fixers on railways, by whom the handle of the shovel is used fortamping the earth beneath the ties; and my improvement consists incovering the outer face of the grasp or hand bar of the handle with ametallic cap, whose ends extend down the two narrow sides of the head,the whole plate being secured to the head by rivets passin g through thehand-bar and through the flat part of the head of the handle, and thuscovering the outer face of the hand or grasp bar of the handle and thetwo narrow sides of the head, and leaving the wood of which the head ismade exposed on the two flat back and front surfaces and on the interiorface of the graspbar. By this means, while the outer end and sides ofthe head are fully protected, the exposed surface of the hand-openin gin the head permits a ready grasp being had at all times without thediscomfort to the fingers of the user which would result were the entirehead sheathed in metal.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the handle. Fig. 2 isa section at w .r, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section at w m, Fig. 1.

A is part of the shank or handle of the shovel. B is the handle proper,made of the usual form, with a fiat portion, 1), and a hand bar, I). Uis the cap, having a concavoconvex portion, 0, fitting the outer side ofthe hand-bar b,or a recess, 1), made therein to receive the portion 0 ofthe cap.

The part c has closed ends 0, that cover the ends of the hand-bar b, andfrom the ends 0 extend plates 0 that cover the edges of the handle, asshown, and through the ends of these plates passes the rivet b and bythis the cap 0 is held on the handle. The plates fit the edges of thehandle, as shown, and are preferably rounded off to make a smoothrounded surface.

It will be seen that my cap protects the whole portion of the handlethat is liable to injury when used for tamping, and that there is nothin edge exposed beneath which the earth can be forced by the blows ofthe shovelhandle against it.

b is a rivet passing through the bar I) and the end plate 0.

I am aware that shovels have heretofore been constructed with a flatmetal plate or cap covering the whole of the head of the handle. Suchconstruction, however, makes no provision for grasping the shovel-handlewith ease and safety, and such construction is not well adapted for usein shoveling and throwing dirt, stones, &C. I do not, therefore, broadlyclaim the idea of applying a tainping-cap to the head of ashovel-handle; but

Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The tampingcap for shovel-handles con sistin g of the metal plate 0,whose concavoconvex portion fits the outer face of the handbar I), theends 0 of said cap being extended to form the plate 0 for protecting thetwo narrow sides of the head, said plate and extensions being secured tothe handle by rivets b, passing, respectively, through the handbar andthrough the flat part of the handle, the wooden inner face of thehand-bar remaining uncovered to permit of its being grasped withoutinjury or discomfort to the fin gers, substantially as set forth.

JOHN F. MILLIGAN.

Witnesses SAML. KNIGHT, GEO. H. KNIGHT.

